Nothing about Missouri antisemitism law should be controversial. Pass it | Opinion
As any Jewish American can attest, the aftermath of the Oct. 7, 2023, massacre has proven beyond all doubt that antisemitism is not a relic of the past.
Rather, the rapid resurgence and proliferation of this ancient hatred present an immediate and escalating danger to Jewish communities across the globe, in the United States and here in Missouri.
Nowhere is this crisis more evident than in our educational institutions. Jewish students should be able to focus on their studies without fear, the same as their non-Jewish peers. Yet all too often, they are denied this basic right, facing intimidation, harassment, ostracization and even physical violence only because of their Jewish identity.
The numbers paint a dire picture. In 2025, for the second straight year, more than 6,000 antisemitic incidents were recorded around the world by CAM, the Combat Antisemitism Movement. This represents a 250% jump from pre-Oct. 7 data. During that same year, 21 Jews were murdered in violent antisemitic acts outside Israel.
Throughout the United States, CAM recorded 1,955 antisemitic incidents in 2025, making this the country with the largest total number of antisemitic incidents in the world. In addition, according to CAM data, the number of school-related incidents has increased 300% since 2022.
In Missouri itself, CAM tracked nearly a dozen incidents of on-campus antisemitism in the aftermath of Oct. 7, including violent incitement against Jewish students, with many more cases likely going unreported.
Urgent action is needed to address this intolerable situation. The Missouri House of Representatives recently stepped up to the plate by passing House Bill 2061, a measure mandating the integration of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance Working Definition of Antisemitism into student, faculty and employee codes of conduct.
The bill facilitates enforcement of Title VI of the U.S. Civil Rights Act by directing the Missouri State Board of Education and the Coordinating Board for Higher Education to each designate a Title VI coordinator to monitor, report and investigate antisemitic discrimination in public K-12 and postsecondary schools.
To fight antisemitism, it must first be defined, and the IHRA framework is widely recognized as the most authoritative and comprehensive tool to delineate and counter contemporary Jew-hatred of every form. A total of 1,330 entities worldwide have adopted the definition, including 37 U.S. states, 16 of which did so via legislation. At the national level, both the Biden and Trump administrations have used it to clarify Title VI protections.
By codifying the IHRA definition, H.B. 2061 establishes clear guidance for institutions to follow to evaluate incidents and ensure that responses are uniform and consistent.
Nothing about this legislation should be controversial. Yet critics slander the definition with misrepresentations, straw man arguments and blatant lies to rally opposition to it. The IHRA definition simply offers an outline for determining if an incident is antisemitic in nature or not, and it is a means to ensure Jews receive the protections they are already entitled to under existing civil rights laws.
It is not a ruse to infringe on the First Amendment or silence criticism of Israel, and it does not create a new hate crimes category or prioritize Jewish victims of discrimination over other minority groups.
Missouri has an opportunity to be at the vanguard of U.S. states taking action to protect Jewish students. The Missouri House of Representatives has done its part. Now it’s the state Senate’s turn to send a powerful message that hate has no home in Missouri. We urge it to act without delay.
David Soffer is director of state engagement for the Combat Antisemitism Movement, which is operated by the 501(c)(3) nonprofit Combat Hate Foundation.